MILLION SOLAR ROOFS ON TRACK

California's Solar Program a Big Success; First-Ever Analysis of California’s Solar Incentive Program Documents Much Progress, Predicts Bright Future
Michelle Kinman, November 9, 2011 (Environment California)

"…[Building a Brighter Future; California’s Progress Toward a Million Solar Roofs documents] that California’s innovative Million Solar Roofs Initiative, halfway through its legislatively mandated timeline, is on pace to meet its goal of installing 3 gigawatts of solar capacity by 2016, is helping to reduce the cost of solar energy, and is creating thousands of jobs throughout the state…

"…These findings come just as California hits the milestone of installing more than 1 gigawatt of rooftop solar power across the state—a milestone that only five other countries in the world have reached…The 2006 Million Solar Roofs Bill (SB 1 - Murray) was historic in both scope and scale, representing the first unified state effort to turn solar power into a commonplace and affordable energy resource for average citizens. The law established a 10-year, statewide interagency effort, now called the Go Solar California campaign, which includes programs that fund solar projects on homes, commercial businesses, farms, and government and non-profit buildings."

click to enlarge

"…Even in a weak economy, California’s solar market has been expanding exponentially by about 40 percent per year. If the market continues growing at a rate of 25 percent per year, the state will achieve the 3,000 MW goal by the end of 2016…Five years in, the Million Solar Roofs Initiative is one-quarter of the way toward its goal of installing 3,000 MW of distributed solar energy systems by the end of 2016 – putting the program on a pace to meet the overall goal on schedule…

"…California is home to about 20 percent of all solar power companies in the United States, with more than 3,500 firms. These firms employ more than 25,000 people. The industry has roughly doubled in size since 2007, and is a bright spot in our overall economy…The National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates that the state could host more than 80,000 MW of rooftop solar capacity – which could generate more than a third as much electricity as California uses in a year…Other countries are demonstrating that it is possible to rapidly expand the solar market and achieve ambitious goals…Germany, for example, has already reached 17,000 MW of solar capacity – nearly 17 times California’s current total…"